Tongue
From ChaileWiki
Tongue (She Tou) Rock from Beijing, Underground Gods
Contents |
Current Lineup
according to MySpace
Bass: Wu Jun De
Drum: Li Dan
Guitar: Zhou Lao Er
Vocal: Wu Tun
Previous Members (on the CDs)
Bass: Wu Jun De
Drum: Lidan
Guitar: Li Hong Jun
Guitar: Zhu Xiao Long
Keyboard: Guo Da Gang
Vocal: Wu Tun
History
Tongue was founded in Urumqi as a cover band somewhere in the beginning of the nineties. Of the earliest members only Wu Junde (bass) is still active in the band. Zhu Xiaolong (guitar) joined in 1995. In 1997 Wu Junde and Zhu Xiaolong decided to continue the band with Wu Tun (covals) and Li Hongjun (guitar) who until then had been playing in the band Tribe. They soon added Li Dan (drums) and Guo Dagang (keyboards).
In 1997, February 25th, Tongue reformed itself as described above in Urumqi and started again. During the same year's summer they performed two shows and went to Beijing in September to practice at the Midi School in Shangdi. The whole band lived together in the Tree Village Shu Cun.
In 1998 Tongue records four songs and sends this demo to Yan Jun who forwards it to Wang Lei.
In April 1998 Tongue has an appearance on the "Guangzhou Independent Rock Music Fest" in Guangzhou on invitation of Wang Lei.
August 1998 Tongue perfors together with Cui Jian and Master Says (Zi Yue - English name has several translations).
From August 1998 on Tongue shows in Beijing become common and many of them are not mentioned in the media anymore and become untraceable.
In November 1998 Tongue performs in Guangzhou with No, Wang Lei, Punk God and SMZB in the Guangzhou Youth Palace Theatre.
Another show in November in Guangzhou as well in the Unplugged Bar, which is owned by Wang Lei, as in the Guangzhou Industrial University.
At the end of November Tongue performs with Cui Jian in the Baby Long Bar.
In March 1999 Tongue joins the "Publicizing Meeting of China's New Music" at Mount Tang. Other bands included No, The Fly, Wei, Wang Lei, Punk God.
Thereafter Tongue played another concert with Cui Jian.
In April / June, the song It Is Your Call is included in the compilation record Modern Sky 3 of the Modern Sky Records Company.
In May Tongue played in Henan, Xinxiang on the "Rock China" festival with totally ten bands.
In June their song "Pirate Ship" is included in the Modern Sky Music Magazine with CD 1.
Thereafter Tongue performed during the Beijing 1999 Scream China festival.
Furthermore did Tongue signed two contracts with Modern Sky; one for the organization of live shows, the other for the right on two albums.
One of these two records was immediately recorded in five days (first synchronized recording in China) and mixed in 6 days (in a TV-station). The album is called Chickling out of the Shell.
In October, Sun Zhiqiang records the documentary Borders of Freedom, in which parts of the "Night of Beijing Youth" performance in the JJ Disco are included.
Tongue presented their CD during a special performance n December 1999 in the Chang'An Big Theatre.
In the same month, their song "Duplicator" is included in the "Punk Generation Vol. 3" compilation record.
In late January 2000 their CD Chickling out of the Shell is finally released by Modern Sky together with No's second album The Trip of the Temple.
On April 30th and May 1st Tongue performs in the evening on the Midi Modern Music Festival 2000.
Thereafter the band tours through cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuxi and Guiyang until July, with another performance in Beijing in the Xidan Xultural Square in July.
They also signed a contract with Pulay Records in July 2000 for live shows and one album.
September 15th and 24th Tongue plays live in the Garden of Joy Bar in Wudaokou, Beijing.
October 14th, Tongue performs together with Miserable Faith and Ruins. During the same concert, Yan Jun is reading The Declaration of Tree Village.
October / November: Tongue performs naked in the Garden of Joy.
Their show on November 16th was recorded by Matthew Clarke, mixing was organized by Fang Wuxing and the CD was later published by Sub Jam named "Painter".
The famous "painter" show happened three times, the first time in Beijing's Garden of Joy in November, the second time in Shenyang, in the Kaitejin bar in November and the last and final performance happened on December 10th, 2000, in Shanghai, U-Like Bar, during which the show was recorded and mixed by Sun Zhiqiang and later published as Painter (VCD) by Subjam.
On December 18th, Tongue performs in the Kaitejin Bar in Shenyang.
On December 23rd and 24th Tongue is in Yinchuan, performing at the Yinchuan Stadium for the "Night of Xixia" on the 24th.
January 2001, the song "Crow" is included in Yan Jun's "Noises Inside".
On May 1st 2001, Tongue performs at the Midi Modern Music Festival 2001 in Beijing, Shangdi.
Later in May, Tongue travels to Shenzhen for the "Shenzhen Creative Music Fest" to perform together Sick Pupa and Wang Lei. A recording was made but it was of poor quality.
In June 2001, Tongue records the song "Painter" for Matthew Corbin's "Beijing Band 2001", a compilation record that also included the bands Ruins, [[Wood pushing melong] and eight other bands.
In July 2001, Tongue performs in Beijing for a concert of the New Wave Magazine.
In August Tongue is invited to perform in the "Mediterranean Music Fest" in Italy. The group members travel to Xinjiang to arrange passports.
Later in August the CD "Painter" is released by Subjam Records.
In October the respective VCD "Painter" is released by Subjam Records.
Later in October, as a result of passport problems, Tongue cannot go to Italy.
In November their song "Chickling out of the shell" is included in "The City of Modern Sky 2", a compilation by Modern Sky Records.
On Beijing 20th Tongue starts the recording of their record "This is you".
On Christmas Eve (24th December), Tongue performs in Beijing's PKU during the "New Year New Music Meeting". Thereafter they perform in the Sound Stage.
On December 25th Tongue joins the "Chinese Art in Action: Kunming Contemporary Music Fest" in Kunming together with over twenty bands from China and Taiwan. The festival ended on January 4th 2002. A documentary VCD by Sun Zhiqiang called "Borders and Freedom" was produced.
On January 20th 2002, Tongue finishes the recording of "This is you".
On February 14th 2002, Tongue finishes the mixing of "This is You" in China. Cheng Ge takes the master recording to England for additional mixing and mastering.
In Spring, the book "Performance" by Wu Wenguang is released, including interviews, biography and rock criticism of Tongue.
On March 30th, Tongue performs in the VOX Music Bar in Wuhan.
In April, Tongue travels to Inner Mongolia and hold a solo performance in Chifeng's "Chifeng Theatre". More than 1000 people attend the first rock show in Chifeng in many years.
On April 29th, Tongue performs in Beijing's "Sound Stage" together with Zuoxiao Zuzhou (ex-No).
On May 1st, the Midi Modern Music Festival 2002 is hold in Beijing, Fragrant Hills. This time without Tongue.
On May 4th, Tongue plays live in the Shenzhen "Three Elementary Colours" Bar.
May 5th, Tongue performs in Guangzhou's "Die-Wa" Bar.
Later in May, they perform in Guangdong, Zhuhai.
August 8th, Tongue holds a CD presentation show in Beijing's "The Loft" for their "This is you" record.
On August 17th, Tongue joins the Yunnan, Lijiang Xueshan Music Fest (Snow mountain festival).
In September, the track "This is you" is included in the "Tong Su Ge Qu" Magazine issue 227.
Also in September, Tongue performs its first unplugged show in San Li Tun's River Bar.
September 7th, they play in Shanghai's "Music Storehouse".
On October 19th Tongue starts their tour with Cui Jian and his "Action agains Lipsync" through Nanjing, Xuzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai and Nanchang:
October 21st they play at Nanjing's "Time Tunnel" Bar at the Nanjing University.
October 22nd, they perform in Xuzhou's "White Cloud Entertainment Centre".
October 25th, they perform in Shanhai's "Music Storehouse".
October 28th, they end the tour with Cui Jian.
On November 22nd, Tongue performs in Shandong, Yantai at the Yantai University.
On November 23rd, Tongue performs in Shandong, Yantai at the Yantai Normal School.
On November 26th, Tongue performs in Shandong, Yantai at "New Long Red Night".
On November 29th, Tongue performs in Shandong, Yantai at the Yantai Stadium together with Cui Jian and his "Action against lipsync".
On December 11th, they perform in Beijing's "Beijing Broadcasting School".
On December 20th, they perform in Beijing's "Second Hall of the National Agricultural Museum".
December 24th/26th, Tongue performs in Lanzhou's "Yellow River Teatre" with their "News-Paper Performance" (happened only once).
Due to the SARS crisis in 2003, during the first half othe year not too many things are known. Some band members leave Beijing. Wu Junde for instance travels to Xinjiang to study local musics and to learn over-tone singing.
Also in 2003, the record "Beijing Band 2001" is released in the US and Matthew Corbin starts selling it on the internet.
Furthermore, the live record "Unplugged in River Bar" in Beijing'S San Li Tun River Bar is recorded (not published).
October 31st, Tongue performs in Guangzhou's Solo Bar.
November 1st, Tongue performs in Guangzhou's Solo Bar.
November 21st, Tongue performs in Chengdu's Pyramid Beer Garden.
November 22nd, Tongue performs in Chengdu's Little Bar (owned by Tang Lei).
In March 2004 Li Hongjun leaves Tongue and Beijing, going to Xinjiang.
April 16th Tongue performs in Beijing's New Get Lucky Bar.
In June and July, Tongue travels trough France with Wang Lei and Iz on their "China Music Lab Tour".
June 17th, show in France, Rennes, Ubu Club.
June 18th, show in France, Dunkerque, La Bateau Feu.
June 19th, show in France, Dunkerque, La Bateau Feu.
June 21st, show in France, Pairs, Palais Royal.
June 25th, show in France, Villeurbanne, Le Transbordeur.
June 26th, show in France, Gap, Live Cafe.
July 2nd, show in France, Orleans, Astrolabe.
July 4th, show in France, Belfort, Eurockeennes de Belfort (www.eurockeennes.fr).
In July Zhu Xiaolong leaves Tongue.
In October Zhu Xiaolong leaves Beijing, travelling to South-East and Central Asia.
Tongue's brief biography was written by Jereon Groenewegen and was allowed to be published by rockinchina.com (and associates) with his kind permission. Further input was received by a friend of Tongue.
In 2005 the band regrouped. Current lineup: Guitar: Zhou Lao Er, Bass: Wu Jun De, Drum: Li Dan, Vocal: Wu Tun,
In July, they played at Beihai(Guang Xi province) Beach Party, together with Cui Jian, and other bands. (the party was from July 29th to 30th).
August, they played at Gegentala Grassland Music Fesitval (Inner Mongolia) (the music festival is from 1th July to 3th August, organized by Little Bar.)
In 2006, the whole band moved to Pi Cun (Pi village)in Beijing, set up a rehearsal studio there.
Discography
- Unplugged in River Bar - 2003 (unpublished)
- This is you - 2002
- Painter - 2001
- Chickling out of the Shell - 2000
- Demo - 1998
Discography/Compilations
- Beijing Band 2001 (VA) - 2003
- The City of Modern Sky - 2001
- Noises inside - 2000, September
- Modern Sky 3 - 1999
- Punk Generation - 1999
Further Information
- MySpace Site
- Tongue - Making Sense of Underground Rock, Beijing 1997-2004 : Jereon Groenewegen's master thesis about Tongue
